Beastie Boys Tickets

The premise is almost laughable: three Jewish New Yorkers want to start a rap band. They want to rap like frat boys in a genre that was created by gang members and drug dealers, telling their tale of life on the streets. Somehow, though, the Beastie Boys made it work better than anyone could have ever imagined.

The group formed in 1981 as a hardcore punk collective. Mike D (Mike Diamond), MCA (Adam Yauch) and Ad-Rock (Adam Horovitz) came from wealthy families and all had experience in underground punk bands. When the trio came together, they released "Cookie Puss" in 1983, based on a prank call to Carvel Ice Cream. The band developed an underground following, and became more interested in rap than punk.

In 1984, the band joined Rick Ruben and Russell Simmons, who had recently formed Def Jam Records. The boys traveled with Madonna on her Virgin Tour, opening the shows - they werent very liked by fans. However, when "Licensed to Ill" was released in 1986, the band finally got some credit, at least in the form of sales. While critics found the music to be mindless, it was the fastest-selling debut in Columbia Records history, with the hit single 'Fight for Your Right (to Party)" leading the charge. In the end, the album became the best-selling collection of the '80s.

While everything was peachy on the sales front, the group was attacked from the hip hop community, being called "cultural pirates," and the conservative right claimed that they were sexist and violent. The obnoxious flair that filled their lyrics was also present in their stage antics - their 1987 tour had several lawsuits and arrest attached.

After a legal battle with Def Jam, the boys moved to California and recorded "Pauls Boutique," which included the single "Hey Ladies." While it was less commercially successful than their debut, the album created a cult following, as it was considered to have visionary usage of the sampling technique. With 'Check Your Head" in 1992, the group began to form a following from college students more than hip-hop fans, which followed with "Ill Communication" in 1994.

In the second half of the '90s, the group focused more on political endeavors, including a festival on behalf of Tibets problems with the Chinese Government. They did, however, release the popular "Hello Nasty" in 1998, and waited a while again before releasing "To the 5 Boroughs" in 2004.

More recently, the band released "The Mix-Up," an instrumental-only album. While the trio has been experimenting with other sounds, the guys will always be known for their blend of hip hop and spunk.